When I was a kid, I was terrified of David Bowie!

United States

September 26, 2007 3:30pm CST

I used to have nightmares after I saw Labyrinth in the movie theatre. Now, Jareth doesn't bother me anymore, but I was terrified when I was a kid. Did anyone else have this experience when they saw the movie as a child? Over the years, Labyrinth has become one of my favorite movies. When I was younger, I loved it because I related so much to Sarah's charachter. Now that I am older, I love the movie because I long for that innocence I had when I had first seen the movie. I'm a big Labyrinth buff. I even have the soundtrack on my iPod!! Anyone else a big fan? Do you have any of the books or figures from back then? I never got into collecting so much, I have a movie poster and a little Hoggle doll, but other than that, I just watch the movie every now and then. Both my kids have watched it with me, and they ove it too. (And neither one of them is terrified of David Bowie!)

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11 responses

@sherry24 (252)

•

26 Sep 07

I absolutely love this film, I had to record it on VHS in the end as I could not find it any where on dvd. I did notice the last time I went shopping that they have just got it in so it is deffo on my to buy list when the OH is not watching lol.

2 people like this

• United States

27 Sep 07

A friend of mine had it on DVD and I must have borrowed it thirty times! Then, I was lucky enough to find it for sale on eBay in VHS form. The tape was used, but in good shape, so I really lucked out. Netflix has it on their rental list too, I rented it from them a few times, so I know the DVDs are out there. I try to find them online though. I've checked eBay and Amazon in the past and they've had it, so I'll probably be getting it on DVD soon. Thanks for your response.

1 person likes this

• United States

4 Nov 07

I got my DVD from http://www.Amazon.com plus there is a special edition one that includes the Dark Crystal with it

• United States

14 Nov 07

Awesome, I love The Dark Crystal!! :) Thanks for sharing that, I'll have to look into it and see if I can get the DVD with The Dark Crystal. I haven't seen that movie in a long time! My kids would love it! I'll check Amazon and see if I can find it on there. Thanks again for sharing that with me!

@meaculpa (338)

• Philippines

29 Sep 07

I have watched this movie 13 years ago (I guess). I like the story of Labyrinth is an adventure and Sarah was able to save her baby brother. With regards to David Bowie, he is a rock star. I can remember the song "underground" but not too familiar now. Since then, I haven't heard of David Bowie anymore. It is good to discuss old movies! Good luck to you!

1 person likes this

• United States

5 Oct 07

Yes, I have some of David Bowie's albums now. When I was a kid, though, I didn't know who he was and he just seemed scary to me. Now that I look back on it (and have recently watched the movie again) I realize how silly I was for being scared, but I was little. I like talking about old movies too. Thanks for responding.

1 person likes this

• United States

14 Nov 07

Yeah, once he made the switch, I really didn't listen to him anymore, but maybe I should. He was always a great artist. I bet if I gave his new style a chance I'd probably end up liking some of it. It's good to know that he's still making albums. I'll have to see if I like his stuff and maybe buy a few of his newer albums (post 1989)... I've got all the others, so I guess it's worth a shot just to see if I like the newer style or not. Thanks for sharing!

@krebstar5 (1266)

• United States

18 Oct 07

I don't remember being too terrified of Jareth, but I do remember being too young to see it in the theater when it came out. As a result, I only got to play the video game they made for it on my old apple commodore computer. The other bummer was that because I really didn't get to see it we were able to rent it at the video store, I missed the chance to get any of the original merchandise that came out back then. I did find a copy of the film's novelization in a box of free books years later when I was in college. Too bad someone had ripped out the photo pages in the middle of the book. I do have the soundtrack in my car and on my ipod. You have exellent taste. ;) I also agree about loving it because of the nostalgia factor.

• United States

25 Oct 07

Thanks for your response. I've found it increasingly difficult to find merchandise from that movie. For whatever reason, it's scarce, so the novelization was a great find for you! I used to have a t-shirt (one of the original promo t's) but it's since been lost. I really miss that shirt! I've been keeping my eyes open for any original items, but, as I said, they're hard to come by. So far, I've only been lucky enough to find an original release of the movie on VHS and an original movie poster (which is in really sad shape, unfortunately). I'll keep looking though!

• United States

14 Nov 07

I hope the rerelease the original A.G.H. book! It would be great to have! I'm also going to try to get my hands on a copy of "Fairies" since it's such a scarce find. I love collecting rare stuff from the eighties!! Thanks for sharing again, you're a great responder, and very knowledgeable about the eighties!

• United States

4 Nov 07

OMG! You are the first person I have found who has the book too! I bought mine at a book store when it was new. It's by A.G.H.Smith, though Brian Froud was the original author of script... the story was based on Froud's 1978 book "Faeries". "Faeries" was a small press book done in an extreem short run, only about 5,000 copies of the book were ever made, so it's very expensive when you find a first edition of it. Both books are next to impossible to find. Thankful the 25th anniversary edition of "Fearies" has just been released so it is back in print for the first time! "Labyrinth" by A.G.H. Smith was a total sales flop, so most copies got sent back to the publisher and were shreaded... it's a super rare book now and has never been rereleased.

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@nancyrowina (3850)

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14 Nov 07

I knew who David Bowie was as my dad is a big fan of his so he didn't scare me, but like you I identified with Sarah. It used to make me angry she always forgot the last line because I always remembered it. I have the soundtrack too after years of searching, I must buy it on DVD too. I was more scared by the movie "Return To Oz" of the same era, it had some scary moments in it, have you seen that?

• United States

14 Nov 07

Nope, never say Return To Oz... maybe I should. I really love those types of movies. I've watched Labyrinth tons of times, and I've seen "Legend" a bunch too. I love fantasy movies. I always did. I'll have to look for "Return To Oz" and see if I can find it on DVD. I'd really like to see it now that I'm probably old enough not to be too scared, lol! Thanks for responding!

1 person likes this

• United States

15 Nov 07

Wow, sounds like it definitely would be scary to a kid! I'm so going to find this movie. I looked on Amazon last night but couldn't find it. Maybe I can rent it from Netflix or watch it online there, I'll check that out tonight. I'm so wanting to see this movie now! I had heard of it but never really thought about watching it because I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but from your description of it, it sounds like something I'd be interested in! Thanks!

@nancyrowina (3850)

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14 Nov 07

The Girl who played Dorothy in it was later in "The Craft" it actually was a PG because it's so scary (to kids of course lol). Let me know if you find it, I found the Wheelers quite disturbing as a kid and mombie was scary. There's a bit in it right near the beginning I didn't get as a kid, but they are actually going to give Dorothy electric shock treatment because she keeps talking about Oz and they think she's crazy.

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@scarywhitegirl (2766)

• United States

28 Sep 07

I think that I didn't get to see Labyrinth when it first came out, but perhaps saw it when I was a little bit older. I don't remember being scared of David Bowie or Jareth, and I was usually scared of everything when I was really young! :)

1 person likes this

• United States

28 Sep 07

I think it was the fact that I was like 7 years old, and the costume was pretty good. Not to mention the fact that he's got two different colored eyes and the hair was kind of crazy, plus he seemed ruthless as Jareth when it came to getting what he wanted. I chalk it up as an accomplishment on the part of the writers and David Bowie... he really pulled of a sinister Goblin King! I had a really active imagination as a kid (still do, in fact). It might have had to do with the fact that I started reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz around that age. I guess I was a little too young! Thanks for your response.

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@ShortyAkbar (384)

• United States

25 Nov 08

I used to watch it a lot when I was little and yeah, David Bowie was creepy in it. I think I was more afraid of him than I was of the puppets and stuff. My mom was watching something and he was on it and I said "Oh snap, that's the dude from Labyrinth, and he's still creepy!"

1 person likes this

• United States

26 Nov 08

Lol, yep. He was born creepy, but he can sure sing! :D Thanks for your response!

@edigital (2709)

• United States

14 Nov 07

Now you are adult and you have kids ...lol

@jend80 (2071)

• United Kingdom

8 Oct 07

didn't see it at the time but later on the TV but was still young enough to find Bowie's Goblin King scary. Don't remember the songs from the film but I heard one from the soundtrack album years later on the radio - and it was terrible - Bowie dueting with a singing baby or something!

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@jend80 (2071)

• United Kingdom

10 Oct 07

thanks for replying - yeah that's the one I was trying to remember. It was on the radio (Virgin 1215) in a late night slot of bad/wierd songs and the DJ often didn't give the artists &/or titles. Re David Bowie being ecentric - he's claimed he's becoming more normal now. He was great as the Goblin King - at the time I wasn't even aware that it was Bowie, just believed in the character.

• United States

15 Oct 07

I haven't seen Bowie lately, but I somehow can't imagine him being completely "normal" (whatever that is) :) I think he was very believable as the Goblin King too. When I first saw the movie in the theater as a child, I had no idea who he was either... it wasn't until much later that I learned it was him. They picked a great cast for that movie!

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• United States

10 Oct 07

Yep, that song is called "Dance Magic, Dance" and there is, in fact, a "singing baby" in it. (I've got the soundtrack on my iPod!) That one is pretty terrible... I usually skip over that song in the play list if I'm listening. I like "When The World Falls Down" and "Underground" as well as the Title Theme. I'm no longer scared of David Bowie, but he's still a little eccentric to say the least. (They picked a good Goblin King back then, didn't they?) Thanks for your response.

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@KealaLegacy (8)

• United States

5 Oct 07

I am a HUGE fan! I love the movie and how it transports you to another world! I bought the DVD and now my kids are hooked! My sister (she rocks) bought me an awesome t-shirt with the wild gang on the front! I love it and wear it everywhere! I was never afriad of Jareth though, I had a crush on him! He had the most awesome 80's hair and makeup! :sigh:

• United States

5 Oct 07

Yes, the hair and makeup were definitely great! I think maybe I was too young to have had a crush ( I was like 7 yrs. old). If I had been a little older though, I probably would have too. Your t-shirt sounds cool. I used to have a plain black one with "Labyrinth" spelled out on the front and a small glass globe on the back, but it got lost somewhere along the way. That was a real bummer. I think one of my friends might have taken it when I lived in an apartment with a bunch of friends back in the late nineties. Oh well. Thanks for responding.

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@newzealtralian (3930)

• Australia

27 Nov 07

I love Labyrinth. I grew up listening to David Bowie and it is my fave movie! I've been trying to get a copy of it on dvd, but no luck yet. It seems that it wasn't all that big here in Australia or New Zealand. I want to share it with my kids too. I was 6 when it came out and my mum took me to see it. She went because David Bowie was in it! lol. Needless to say, we are both still big fans of his!

• United States

28 Nov 07

I don't know if they have eBay where you are, but if so, you might be able to find someone who'll have it and ship to Australia or New Zealand. You also might have some luck on Amazon.com. Also, I'm not sure if Netflix is available in your country, but you can check on their website Netflix.com and see if you can sign up and rent the DVD from them. Thanks for responding, and good luck in your search for the DVD!

@newzealtralian (3930)

• Australia

29 Nov 07

I'll definitely have to check those out! lol. And hassle all the DVD stores in my area too!

• United States

4 Nov 07

This was one of the best movies ever made, I watched it over and over again as a kid... but I had a friend who coulldn't watch it; she was absolutly terrified of the goblins. When I was a kid I was sooo in love with Jareth. Of course it helped that I was already a huge fan of Brain Froud for ten years before he wrote Labyrinth or Dark Crystal. I just love his books and so I esp loved his movies, I always wish he had made more than just those two though

• United States

14 Nov 07

I agree. I think it would be amazing to see some of Froud's other books made into movies with today's computer animation technology! Wouldn't it be amazing? I guess there's still hope that they would do that. Maybe they'll even remake Labyrinth or Dark Crystal at some point. I think people would definitely go see remakes of either one of those movies! I know I would!